Good news: I finished Chapter 27 and saved it to open office last night.

Bad news: The entire website went down when I was about to post it.

Guess I should've e-mailed it to myself first, then come here on the school computer, check my inbox, and I would've pasted the whole thing right now. So unfortunatly, since I can't quite remember all the details, you'll have to wait a good...hmm...6 hours until I can get the whole chapter up. So terribly sorry. The forums and the main site were acting wonky and just kept going down at random times, which sucked. And if it happens again, I may not be able to start Chapter 27 until I get home.

Blossom: No. That's a cute name for corn on the cob, but that's not it. Bubbles seems more...don't know...friendly to Shad then usual.

Buttercup: We heard everything he said remember? Bubbles probably likes him back. *grabs another piece of chicken*

Professor Utonium: Not so fast, Buttercup.

Buttercup: What?

Professor Utonium: Ahem. *points at Buttercup's plate with his work, which still had a few carrots and broccoli on it*

Buttercup: Aw come on! Do I have to? Last I checked Shad didn't eat any at since dinner started.

Shad: Uh, Buttercup?

*Buttercup turns to Shad's plate, which was completely empty*

Buttercup: Wha...HUH?! How did you do that?! You had a bunch of vegetables just 2 minutes ago! How did you eat them all? Did anyone see him eat them all?! Professor, did you see him?!

Blossom: Shad must really like his vegetables.

Professor Utonium: Ditto that.

Bubbles: He even had 5 sweet potatoes.

Buttercup: Where does he put it all?!

*PPG room 8:01PM*

Bubbles: Pillow fight! Everyone split into 2 teams! I call Shady.

Buttercup: Then that leaves me with leader girl here.

Shad: Do we have enough pillows?

Blossom: Do we have enough? Do we have enough?! This isn't the first time we had a pillow fight Shad.

*Blossom opens the closet and floats to the top. Up there is a large shelf containing spare bedsheets neatly folded and of course...lots and lots of pillows organized in colors of pink, blue and green*

Blossom: TIMBER! *pushes all the pillows down from the shelf, causing a small pillow avalanche that buries Buttercup, Bubbles and Shad up to their necks*

Shad: Now what?

*10 minutes later*

*at the left side of the room, a mini-fort made of blue pillows shields Bubbles and Shad, who each have pillows of their own piled up next to them. At the right side lies an identical fortress made up of pink pillows, with Blossom and Buttercup hiding behind it with fluffy arsenal of their own*

Buttercup: Can we play now?

Blossom: You know Shad's never been in a pillow fight before. Bubbles has to tell him the rules first.

Bubbles: And when you have a clear view, throw it as hard as you can!

Shad: Pillow fights sound a lot like dodgeball. Only pillows are softer. We have to destroy Blossom's pillow fortress to win?

Bubbles: Uh-huh. It's easier when they run out of pillows to throw.

Buttercup: You done explaining over there Bubbles?

Bubbles: Almost done! You know how to play now?

Shad: I think so. Just one more thing.

Bubbles: What?

Shad: When I said I liked you. Really liked you. You didn't feel weird or anything do you? You're a Powerpuff and I'm just no...

Bubbles: Don't worry about that now. We're ready!

Buttercup: Finally! *takes a peek from the side of her pillow fortress* Okay, since Shad barely knows how this game works we'll win in a snap.

Blossom: Not likely. Remember, we're up against the girl who has a knack at winning this game and a boy who won a dodgeball match without even throwing the ball.

Buttercup: ..............darn. I'm sure we still got a shot. Okay, girls...and Shad. On your mark. Get your pillows. *PPG and Shad each grab a hold of a pillow in their respective pillow forts* Get set...READY STEADY GO!

*2 pink pillows fly out from behind Blossom's fort and over Bubbles' fort*

*Blossom points to what appears to be a lump under the bedsheets, but is actually Shad all curled up and fast asleep on Bubbles' side of the bed*

Buttercup: Aw, come on! What is he, a sleep-a-holic?!

Blossom: He probably has a curfew just like we do. *sets up the night-light*

Buttercup: Fine! If you're going to sleep then I'll stay up.

Blossom: *climbs into bed* And do what?

Buttercup: Set the world record for staying up for 24 hours.

Bubbles: Why?

Buttercup: .......................none of your business.

Blossom: See, you're so tired you don't know what to do anymore. Go to sleep already.

*30 minutes later*

*the lights are off, leaving the blue night-light to illuminate the room. Shad's "lantern" lays still on the drawer while he and the PPG are sound asleep. Well, almost all of them...*

Buttercup: Stupid Blossom. Stupid sleepy Shad. The school's probably almost fixed and we haven't done any late night stuff so far. Why does Shad get so tired? He even crawled into bed without either of us noticing! Our smooth, spongy bed. *getting drowsy* With fluffy pillows. *eyes draping to a close* And such...warm...bedsheets. *yawns* NO! Must stay awake! It's 9:26PM and I'm already...so...tiiiiiiirrrrrrred. *conks asleep as a dream bubble materializes from her head and out comes a teeny tiny Buttercup*

Buttercup: Gotta stay awake. Gotta stay awake. Go...*sees her sleeping self below her* AW MAN! How am I gonna break the record now?! Blossom's gonna get mad at me if I wreck her dream and Bubbles is probably to busy with her tea parties. Guess that leaves out sleepyhead. What luck.

*Buttercup flies into Shad's dream bubble and finds herself floating above the same maze as before*

Buttercup: AGAIN?! Shad, what the heck is up with you and ma...AAAAAAAAHH! *gravity pulls her down causing her to crash land into the center*

???: Leave this place.

Buttercup: Huh? *Buttercup gets up only to see the same Shad look-a-like with the piercing red eyes and sullen facial expression standing just a few inches in front of her* Whoa! Where'd you come from?

???: I'm everywhere in this maze. It's my job to expulse intruders. Now get out!

Buttercup: Whoa, calm down sheesh. I'm just looking for Shad. For a moment there I thought you were him until I noticed the red eyes. Why do you look like him anyway?

???: I'm his...dream guardian.

Buttercup: How come I don't have one?

???: You're strong. Very strong. Shad is weak against most nightmares so I exist to keep them out. This maze is here to confuse any intruders so they don't disrupt his dreams.

Buttercup: But I'm not an intruder. I'm...uh...a guest? Will that work?

???: Okay, how about this. You caught me at a busy time so I can't guide you to him. However, you might be able to find him no your own should you follow just one rule.

Buttercup: What?

???: You should know. Your sister broke it (literally!) the last time you and your other sisters were here.

Buttercup: I don't get it.

???: Don't go through the big door. I MEAN IT!

Buttercup: *scoffs* Trust me, I won't. I saw some really scary stuff in there. What was that anyway?

???: .........................nothing of your concern. Now go. And if you approach the door, trust me...*gives a menacing glare* I'll know!

Buttercup: Geez, I get it already. Just try to help me find Shad when you're done with whatever it is you're doing.

???: I'm just giving something a new paint job, that's all.

*Buttercup walks to the 2nd corridor while ??? walks through the 4th one. After they part ways, the "specter" pops up inside the maze again. After a few seconds of stillness, it slowly glides to the same corridor Buttercup took*

Buttercup: Boooooring! If I wanted to be in a maze I'd play one of those puzzle games in a coloring book. Stupid dream guardian. If I could fly I'd find Shad in no time. *looks down* What is this, a floor or a pit? My feet are on the ground and it looks like I'm floating! Why would Shad dream about this? What with that whole thing about being found out that he likes Bubbles I figured his dream would be some lovey-dovey date or wedding. Maybe there's another door that leads to those? Hope he's not too busy to let me tell him it's a weekend and he doesn't have to sleep so darn early!

*Buttercup looks up at the wall ledge and gets an idea. She decides to climb up the ledges, but they sprout spikes when she draws her hand close!*

Buttercup: WAH! What kind of place is this?! *continues walking* Do I have to walk only and not fly or climb or anything? *starts to run* At least I can run. *runs faster* Much better!

*Buttercup takes random paths left, right and straight leaving a green streak behind. Little does she know is that the "specter" is following her closely*

Buttercup: HEY SHAD! Come out come out wherever you are you big sleepyhead! Don't worry I won't make fun of you for liking Bubbles, I just want to know if you know any tips for record breaking or something. And it's a WEEKEND so you don't have to sleep so ea...OOOF!

*Buttercup bumps into something and rubs her head. She sees a large door in front of her, probably the same one from before only it has a brighter gray color to it*

Buttercup: Hey, is this the...nah it can't be. The other door was a lot darker and had a lot of locks and stuff. Maybe I can...

*before Buttercup can think further, she notices that the surrounding area got a little darker. She looks up and sees what appears to be an enormous pitch-black hand, dropping down to crush her! Buttercup jumps back to avoid it as it crashes down*

Buttercup: A hand?!

*the giant hand floats up and curls itself into a fist, then launches itself right into Buttercup, sending her crashing into a wall*

Buttercup: Ooh. So you wanna play rough huh?

*the hand extends all its fingers and tenses them together, as if preparing to do a karate chop*

Buttercup: Look, I'll give you just one chance to get out of my way! I was just looking at that door!

*as the hand rises up to do its karate chop, it speaks in a thundering, booming voice*

Hand: NONE SHALL INTRUDE!! LEAVE WHIST YOU ARE STILL MOBILE!!

*Buttercup parries over the karate chop attack and lands in front of the door right behind the hand*

Buttercup: I'm not intruding! I'm just trying to find Shad!

HAND: NONE SHALL INTRUDE!! LEAVE WHIST YOU ARE STILL MOBILE!

Buttercup: Fine! *curls her hand into a fist, which starts to crackle with green electricity* We'll play your way.

*the hand curls itself into a fist and charges toward Buttercup. She parries over and lands behind him*

Buttercup: Now I gotcha!

*before the giant hand can retaliate, Buttercup's fist is surrounded by an emerald green sphere. She strikes the black ground with it, creating a bright green shockwave that tears through the ground and rips through the hand! But instead of stopping, it keeps going until it tears through the door, forcing it open! ??? comes to see what the commotion is, but he's too late*

???: YOU FOOL! What did you do?!

Buttercup: That hand over th...

???: That was the enhanced security measure I took into creating! That door is the paint job I was talking about!

Buttercup: Then just close the...WAHHHHHH!!!

*too late. An instantaneous current from the door sucks Buttercup inside as ??? tries to grab her hand to pull her in, but didn't make it. Buttercup screams as she's sucked into the same infinite darkness.

???: What must I do to keep these girls from coming here?! *the "specter" finds the open door, whizzes past ??? and follows Buttercup into the passage* What the heck is that thing?

Buttercup: Hey? Where's the maze? Where's anything? *just then, for a split second there was a flicker of light* What was that? *another flicker of light appears* There it is again. Wait, what's...HUH?!

*Buttercup's eyes adjust to the darkness, but the place she's in is a complete disaster area of a laboratory. She stands in the middle of a large room with a dozen computers on the left and right sides. But the computers were shattered, broken, literally smashed to pieces with their wires exposed in a clumped mess. At the front of the room is what appears to be a large plasma view screen that seems to be designed to be on the wall, but instead the screen has a huge gaping crack in it, and it's all lopsided on the floor. Buttercup looks up and sees that the flickering is actually hundreds of light bulbs attached to the ceiling. But the majority of those bulbs were shattered into shards and those that still work flicker every few seconds. But what seemed to creep out Buttercup the most for some reason is right next to her is what used to be a large tube attached to a circle platform. However, the large tube is shattered, only the bottom part remaining. As if something...maybe someone broke out of it*

Buttercup: Wh...wh...what happened here? What the heck was in this thing that was so strong it broke through? And...*looks down on the floor and sees that the many glass shards she's standing on don't seem to hurt her*...those glass pieces don't hurt when I step on them. But they go through me! Am I a ghost or something?!

???: *cough cough hack!*

Buttercup: *shaking with fear* W-w-w-w-what was that? Why do I feel so scared here. I'm thinking crazy, but I feel as if whatever it was that happened here...it was bad. Really bad.

*Buttercup looks around to see the source of the sound. When she looks down behind her...she sees what appears to be a trail of... dry blood!*

Buttercup: *gasps, then starts shaking even more as tears start to well up in her eyes* Wh-wh-wh-where did that come from?

???: *hack! cough cough* Wh...what went...wrong?

*despite the surrounding area striking fear into her heart, forcing her to the brink of crying, Buttercup slowly follows the wide trail of blood. The blood trail ends near the lab exit. The source of the blood, however, is a man in a suit wearing glasses lying face down, a puddle of blood surrounding him, and desperatly trying to drag himself to a phone next to the door, which was no longer a door but a big gaping hole leading to several hallways, which seemed completely wrecked. Buttercup noticed the slight familiarity of those hallways for she and her sisters were in the destroyed corridors last time around. Buttercup then looks down at the man, who*

???: *coughs so fervently that drops of blood fly out of his mouth* Wh...*hack!*...what...was that? Did IT...does it really...have that...mu...what have I done? *coughs out blood again*

Buttercup: Hey, guy. You need help? *reaches out her hand to help the man up but it goes through him instead!* AHH! I AM A GHOST!! *starts to cry* What kind of d...d...dream is this?! I gotta wake up now. *starts to breathe a little too quickly* This place looks s-s-s-something out of a horror movie or something. And that guy...what the heck happe...

*before Buttercup can finish her sentence, a familiar sound echoes from the distant corridors and into the lab. The very same screech that sends Buttercup into a sobbing submission*

Buttercup: BLOSSOM! WHERE ARE YOU?! *hears footsteps that come closer and closer to the lab*

???: Dr. Brisbane! Dr. Brisbane sir are you okay?

*Buttercup sees a man in a labcoat with an X at the lower left side enter the dim destroyed lab and crouches down to the injured man*

Dr. Brisbane: *hack!*

???: Sir you need medica...*the same horrific piercing screeching sound once again echoes all over, followed by an explosion shakes the entire place* Sir...what was that...thing?

*the white light takes form into a glowing white sphere. The sphere then expands to Buttercup's size then envelops her completely! Finally, outside the dream bubbles, the "specter" exits Shad's dream bubble, floats to Buttercup's dream bubble, and deposits what appears to be a green streak of light into its own dream bubble. The "specter" then retreats into the "lantern" as Buttercup still shakes slightly in her sleep. The fear she felt from the past visionburst too much to forget*

End of Chapter 28!

Heh heh. Scary ain't it? Now if only I can find an equally scary BGM. By the way, that attack Buttercup did on that giant hand. Does it sound familiar?

Yes, even Buttercup was scared almost half to death just by what she saw. Still, kinda makes ya wonder just what happened that got Dr. Brisbane in that condition. Then again, I forgot to bold in some other clues. And yes Bear, I loosely based that giant hand off of Ocarina of Time, only without the drum arena and monstrous cyclops thingamabob. And I only used one hand.

Chapter 29: Too much trust?

*PPG room 9:23AM*

*screen shows the sun rising partly above the horizon. The scene then shifts to Blossom and Bubbles standing on their bed next to what appears to be a curled lump under the bedsheets*

Blossom: Buttercup! Rise and shine! The professor has breakfast on the table and Shad went ahead of us...again.

Bubbles: He made your favorite this morning. Bacon and tater-tots.

*the "lump" rolls toward the ledge and falls off the bed. The sheets come off, revealing a slightly sleep-deprived upside-down Buttercup with a bad case of bed-head*

Bubbles: Buttercup? What happened to you?

Blossom: You didn't actually stay up the whole night for no reason did you?

Buttercup: *shudders* I wish.

Blossom: What?

Buttercup: Huh? I mean, good morning! Last one to the bathroom is a rotten egg!

Bubbles: We already brushed our teeth.

Blossom: Are you feeling okay Buttercup? You don't look so good.

Buttercup: Nonsense! *floats up and flies toward the door, only to crash into a wall instead* Where's *yawns* the door?

Bubbles: It's to your left.

Blossom: Whether you actually stayed up all night for heaven knows why or not, you really need some rest. Let's just get you to the bathroom first.

*Blossom and Bubbles each lift up Buttercup's arms and carry her out the room. They float through the hallway and enter the bathroom to the left*

Buttercup: *still half-asleep and squirming* But I don't wanna take a bath!

Blossom: You're not. *takes a green toothbrush out of the toothbrush rack* Although that might not be a bad idea. Toothpaste please.

Bubbles: Okey-doke! *takes a tube of toothpaste from the sink ledge and squirts a pea-size toothpaste onto the green toothbrush*

Blossom: Hold still Buttercup.

Buttercup: *still half-asleep* I can bwash me teesh be mesaf.

Blossom: Not in your condition you can't! *lifts up Buttercup's lips, revealing all her teeth in clear view for Bubbles* Now!

Bubbles: Here goes.

*Bubbles puts the bristles on the toothbrush on Buttercup's teeth, brushing left and right, and when Blossom tilted Buttercup's head a bit, Bubbles brushed the teeth up and down and on the tounge*

Buttercup: Me noooose tikus. Ah...AH....ACHOO!! *sneezes the toothpaste and some mucus out of her mouth and into the sink*

Bubbles: EWW! Turn on the sink!

Blossom: Ugh! Way ahead of you.

*Blossom rotates the left knob next to the faucet, pouring out cold water into the sink and pulling all the spat out toothpaste down the drain*

Buttercup: Oooh. Lookie goos rowd a rowd.

Blossom: Now all we have to do is get you awake. Or at least awake enough to have breakfast and go back to sleep.

Bubbles: But how?

*Blossom crouches down and opens a cabinet under the sink and takes out a bucket. She fills the bucket with cold water to the brim, then blows an icy frost on it to further lower its temperature*

Blossom: If this doesn't work I don't know what will. *swings the bucket, tossing out icy cold water that splashes on Buttercup's face, snapping her out of her sleep-deprived daze*

Buttercup: WHAAA! COLD! TOO COLD!

Blossom: Finally!

Buttercup: F-f-f-finally what?

Bubbles: You were talking really weird and stuff. Did a nightmare keep you awake?

Buttercup: *remembers that little scene she saw in the wrecked lab behind the door in Shad's mind, then tries to force a smile* What makes you say that?

Blossom: Well it looked like you stayed up a bit late. We even had to brush your teeth for yo...Buttercup?

Buttercup: *shaking from what she saw in Shad's mind* Just a bit c-c-cold. *grabs a green towel from a rack and dries her face* You did splash water on me.

Bubbles: It didn't look like you were shaking from that.

Buttercup: Yeah...let's just get downstairs, I'm starving. *exits the bathroom*

Bubbles: Blossom...

Blossom: I know. She seems okay but I felt that something didn't seem right about her. That must've been one big whopping of a nightmare she had. At least...I think it was a nightmare. Unless...no, she wouldn't do that alone.

*downstairs, in the kitchen*

Shad: What took you Powerpuffs so long?

Blossom: Buttercup was half-asleep so we had to help her brush her teeth.

Bubbles: I think she had a nightmare and it kept her awake.

Shad: Nightmare? Did you have one too Bubbles?

Bubbles: Nuh-uh. I was having a tea party with Nekokoneko.

Professor Utonium: Exactly what was in your nightmare Buttercup?

Blossom: Was it a giant spider?

Buttercup: I don't wanna talk about it. *munches on a strip of bacon*

Shad: When I got up I saw you sweating a lot. Maybe it was a big nightmare?

Buttercup: C'mon! Shouldn't you know?!

Shad: Know what?

Buttercup: You didn't...okay smartypants! What did you dream about?

Shad: I was dreaming about being in a pillow fight tournament with Bubbles, and won!

Buttercup: *whispers to Blossom* You didn't go in Shad's dream bubble did you?

Blossom: *whispers back* I didn't want to see that shadowy monster again, so I just stayed in my own dream.

Shad: What are you saying? Can I hear?

Blossom: You never had any nightmares last night?

Shad: I said no! I didn't have one last night and I didn't have one last last night. Or last last last night. Or last last last last night. The last nightmare I got was being in that lab place stuck in a tube and that Brisbane guy lying about stuff about mommy havi...

Professor Utonium: Shad, about that "dream" you had. None of it seemed real to you?

Shad: No! I had that weird nightmare because I didn't have my Bubbles plushie with me. Mommy and daddy said so.

Blossom: AUGH! Still no luck!

Shad: *eats the last strip of bacon* All done.

*Shad looks at Buttercup's plate, which seemed barely touched at all*

Shad: Are you okay Buttercup? Last time you usually get done eating right after I do.

Buttercup: *sighs and pokes a tater-tot with her fork* Guess I don't feel as hungry as I usually do.

Bubbles: But you said you were starving a few minutes ago! And you never lose your appitite!

Blossom: Yeah. *looks at the "lantern" sitting on the table* Shad do you have to have that on the table?

Shad: The sticky note says I have to keep it with me at all times.

*meanwhile, in the basement of Shad's house*

*Dimitri eats his pancakes on a tray, being very careful not to spill any syrup on the keyboard. The monitor he's staring at shows his son, the PPG and his old friend Adric having breakfast*

Dimitri: That's right Shad. Listen to your parents. *pops a piece of pancake in his mouth as Claire steps in*

Claire: So how's things?

Dimitri: Outside his mind, perfectly normal.

Claire: Outsi...you mean...

Dimitri: Yep. Our lantern picked up some stuff from the "specter" in Shad's lantern.

Claire: Now now, I know how the lantern link system works. After all, it was all...

Dimitri: Yes, I know. Making the lanterns was your idea... last year.

Claire: And what did the specter pick up?

Dimitri: Well another Powerpuff got inside Shad's buried memories...again. Buttercup got in but before she went any further...well, let the images speak for themselves.

*Dimitri connects the lantern to the monitor. He takes the breakfast tray off his lap and starts typing rapidly. Then after clicking a few things, the monitor shows an image of Buttercup floating what appears to be a giant hand*

Claire: Isn't that one of those giant hands from Ocarina of Time?

Dimitri: What?

Claire: Wait, no. I think I recall seeing it on Wind Waker. A floormaster...

Dimitri: *stares at Claire in surprise* Since when do you play video games?

Claire: The hospital I work at mostly caters to children. Children who prior to me healing them talk about video games. A LOT of video games.

Dimitri: Hmm. Been a while since I played an RPG. Or any game for that matter. But anyway, let's see what Buttercup saw. I can only hope it wasn't too much.

*Dimitri turn a dial on the lantern causing the monitor to flash to another screen, which shows Buttercup staring at a bloodied man on the floor, tears in her eyes*

Claire: Although none of this explains the giant hand. Could Shad have done that?

Dimitri: I don't think so. *stares at the monitor* Brisbane. *clenches his fist in anger* In some way or another, you deserved that.

Claire: But did the bystanders deserve it as well?

Dimitri: Who's to know? We didn't get there in time to help evacuate them. *fist shaking* All this simply because he was obsessed with his plans!

Claire: Uh...maybe I should turn this off. *presses the off button on the monitor* This dim basement isn't the place to have breakfast. *grabs Dimitri's arm with her left hand and his breakfast tray with her right* How about a brighter room for soothing that stress? *pulls Dimitri out of the basement*

Dimitri: Or I can just try and stop thinking about 3 years ago. Too bad that it's not so easy because of the Powerpuff's intrusions. They keep this up and Shad will remember something he shouldn't remember...for as long as he lives.

*back at the PPG household*

*the PPG have a little chat while Shad helps the professor wash the dishes. Buttercup just stands next to the bed, her face almost describing fear itself*

Blossom: You saw what?!

Buttercup: I don't know where I was. First it was all dark, I was able to see everything eventually, and there was this wrecked lab.

Bubbles: Lab? Like the professor's?

Buttercup: No. A different lab. It was much bigger but everything was broken. All those computers were smashed, there were these big TVs cracked, and there was some sort of tube thing...at least I think it was. Last I checked, it was broken from the top.

Blossom: Buttercup, were you scared just being in there?

Buttercup: .............no! Why would I...

*Blossom taps her foot on the ground and gives her a stern look*

Buttercup: Fine! I was scared alright! I don't know why but the place creeped me out! I saw stuff like that in horror movies all the time but that place scared me! I-I-I-I-I don't know why but it did!

Bubbles: Was there anything else?

Buttercup: There was *shaking in fear* b-b-b-b-b-b-blood.

Blossom: Blood?! From who?!

Buttercup: I followed it and it ended at this guy lying down next to this big gaping hole where the door used to be. I tried to help him up but...

Blossom: Your hand went through him?

Buttercup: How did you...

Blossom: I know. I figured that if no one can see us then we can't even touch them. We're like ghosts in...wherever that door sucks us in. And it looks so different, everything is in black and white and that Shad look-a-like keeps stopping us from going in there. I don't get it.

Buttercup: Me neither. The gaping hole next to that guy led to a hallway. Call me crazy, but it looked like the same hallway we were in!

Bubbles: It was?!

Blossom: Keep going.

Buttercup: Give me a break, I can't remember much on account of being so scared for some reason! There was that same screaming screeching noise from last time and I almost lost it! Before everything blacked out I saw someone in a labcoat walk to the guy on the floor. And get this: he called him Dr. Brisbane...I think.

Blossom: Dr. Brisbane?! You mean that guy one of the solders mentioned the last time?

Bubbles: And Shady mentioned him yesterday too! Or was it 2 days ago?

Buttercup: The guy in the labcoat mentioned the entire place being called Global Defenders or something. Never heard of them.

Blossom: Me neither.

Buttercup: There's just one more thing I remember: The guy in the labcoat...he had an X on his labcoat. After that, everything blacked out and this white sphere thing took me and I was back in my own dream.

Blossom: That's what happened when we all went in...hold on...what was that?! Someone in a labcoat with an X on it?

Bubbles: That sounds like the same guy on that picture Shady has!

*the door opens and Shad walks in*

Shad: What picture?

*Buttercup floats up and darts toward Shad*

Buttercup: Yeah, funny you should ask. *tells Shad what she saw in her dream*

Shad: That nightmare you had? And that man who used to visit me was in it? Did he say his name?

Buttercup: No, but some Brisbane guy was in it.

Shad: He was in my dream too! Wow, we both dreamed about the same man. I didn't think something like that can happ...

Buttercup: Would you wake up Shad?!

Blossom: Buttercup never even saw this Brisbane person! If both of you dreamt of the same person, then that "dream" you had wasn't a dream and the same went for Buttercup! Besides, who dreams in black and white?! Not to mention the people in the dream don't even see you! Don't you think any of this sounds a bit strange? Did you ever bother to ask your parents?

Shad: I do. And they always say it's just our nightmares going wild.

Blossom: And you believe them?

Shad: Yes! Mommies and daddies are good people! And good people don't lie! That's that and that's how it always is! Right Bubbles?

Bubbles: I think.

Shad: See! Bubbles agrees with me! Why can't you think that my mommy and daddy always tell the truth?! You should know! You're good people too! You're superheroes! *runs out of the room*

Bubbles: Shady wait! *follows Shad*

Buttercup: Give up already leader girl. Everything we try to say to him about what we saw only makes him upset. That and he doesn't believe us. Besides, at least he trusts his parents.

Blossom: I know. It's just that he trusts his parents TOO much. If only Shad can understand that.

End of Chapter 29.

Added after 10 hours 26 minutes:

Okay, good news. Thanks to Keeper I found and added BGMs to chapters 26, 28 and this one! The next chapter should come shortly...or some of it. It's 10:30PM where I'm at.

Dimitri: Good. Now we can begin our little chat. What's going on with your girls saying I'm a liar?

Professor Utonium: Well it all seem to start when I was watching the morning news until Shad ran downstairs...crying. I caught up with him and he says his feelings got hurt. I asked how and he says the girls don't trust you. Apparently Shad cares a great deal about you and Claire as much as you two for him. And any blame that gets directed at you gets directed at him. He trusts you and hates it when people call people liars when he knows they tell the truth.

Dimitri: Great. Way to bring Utonium here, Blossom! I'm not sure if I understand some of this. I know we care fo...

Professor Utonium: True, but you also teach him ways to tell the difference between good and evil. Due to that Shad takes it so seriously that he thinks anyone who lies are evil. Or close to it. So when the girls thought you were lying about something, Shad misinterpreted that as an insult saying you and Claire are "evil" and hurt his feelings. As if he thinks my girls will put you in prison. After all, that's what happens to bad people and since...

Dimitri: OK, I get it!

Professor Utonium: Look, the girls have been telling me that they saw strange things in their dreams...or more specifically, Shad's dreams. You see, during that whole Sandman incident, my girls discovered the ability to go in other people's dreams. They mostly go in their own but when they decided to go in Shad's dream for some reason, they ended up in a maze instead. Does your son like mazes?

Dimitri: What the...a maze?! Strange. I don't recall Shad having an interest in mazes. No. As far as I know that is.

Professor Utonium: Well here's the baffling part. When the girls asked Shad about the maze dream, he didn't recall any of it! What he thought of while asleep was something irrelevent to what my girls saw. At first I thought this may be related to the Chemical X, but that couldn't be since my scanners didn't pick up any traces of it in his body. It's possible Shad doesn't remember, but Blossom kept telling me that she suspects otherwise. And that may have been what set Shad off. Whatever the girls said to him he denied every single one of their accusations...whatever they were.

Dimitri: I'm sure it was just a truth or dare thing, that's all. *big anime sweat drop appears on his forehead* Heheh. It's probably just their imagination gone arwy. Now if Shad wants to come home...

Professor Utonium: No no. Despite his friends thinking you and Claire are lying about something, Shad wouldn't want to cut short his stay.

Dimitri: Adric, you ever heard of a white lie?

Professor Utonium: I might have.

Dimitri: You see, if me and Claire are lying about some...

*the professor starts to raise an eyebrow in suspicion*

Dimitri: Hypothetically! If HYPOTHETICALLY, me and Claire WERE lying to our son, it would only be for his own good and nothing else. If something bad ever happened that was so...well, horrifically bad and the truth would be damaging to the child's very psyche, then a beneficial lie is formed. A white lie of sorts. Of course we would never make a bad lie. Something along the lines of say...me and Claire threw out his Bubbles plushie and tell him that a ghost took it. That's a bad lie. A lie that we would never pull off. But if the aforementioned bad thing ever happened, then a white lie is formed to protect him. If course this is all hypothetical. We never lied to our son period! Think about it for a minute. Suppose if the aforementioned bad event of sorts happened to your girls. If push comes to shove what would you do? Tell the truth that may change them for the worse, for fabricate a white lie and spare them the grief?

Professor Utonium: Allow me to hypothesize: If the girls had a pet hamster and it died for some inexplicable reason while they were on say, a field trip, I'd tell them what happened instead of saying it ran away. You see, most, if not, then all things heal with time. My girls would move on like any normal child would. It doesn't matter how bad the event were to be. If a child were to ever find out that he's been lied to regardless of the reason, then the bond between parent and child would be severed severely. And in more ways then one, THAT would be more bad then any terrible event or incident that's been covered by a web of white lies.

Dimitri: *shaking* Heheh. You always were smarter then I gave you credit for Adric. Just now you proved that your a genius in more ways then one. I really do wish you agreed to that job offer all those years ago. Such a way with people. Almost like Claire, really. *stands up and walks to the kitchen* You would've made such a great professor at the Global Defenders, despite being an early graduate.

Professor Utonium: Just one...actually, 2 more questions.

Dimitri: Shoot.

Professor Utonium: That silver pistol I told Claire to give you. You ever figured out what ammunition it uses?

Dimitri: No need. I already know what it runs on.

Professor Utonium: Hmm?

Dimitri: I mean, what's the next question?

Professor Utonium: My surname seems to turn off all the security here. Any idea why that is?

Dimitri: ...............it's an emergancy word. The man who helped me set it up says it should only be used in dire situations. So I suggest you knock next time Adric! I happen to care for the saftey for my family!

*up in Shad's room*

Bubbles: So you thought we called your parents evil people?

Shad: *wipes his eyes with a tissue* Uh-huh. Mommy and daddy always told me that people who lie are bad people. I don't know why but Blossom said they were lying. I started to remember that liars are bad people. And bad people get sent to jail.

Bubbles: Oh. So you thought Blossom was going to call the police and put your parents in jail?

Shad: *nods*

Bubbles: Shady you're so silly! People don't go to jail for lying! What Blossom wa...

Shad: I don't care! I hate it when people say mean things to my parents and its even more bad when the people who say that are my friends! And they're superheroes! It's not like Blossom and Buttercup know my mommy and daddy! They never lie to me! They tell me not to lie so they don't lie either.

Bubbles: *hugs Shad* There there Shady. Blossom and Buttercup probably said a few things wrong. They probably didn't mean it...I hope.

Shad: At least you don't think my mommy and daddy are liers.

*the door opens, then there's a quick flash. Bubbles and Shad turn around to see the professor holding a camera*

Shad: Mr. Utonium!

Bubbles: Did you...

Professor Utonium: I was just making sure the camera works. Honest!

*back at the PPG room of the Powerpuff household*

Buttercup: Okay, how about this. We find Shad in his dream first, then we show him his look-a-like...

Blossom: That won't work either. It seems that every time we try to find him we end up at that door. And one way or another it just opens. Of course I was the one who broke it.

Buttercup: Heck right. If we were to record everything in there somehow and show it to Shad he'll have to believe us!

Blossom: Yeah, but remember when I saw his finger glowing and he didn't even notice? How are we going to prove that?

Buttercup: Quit making my head hurt! There's too much stuff to prove.

*the door opens, revealing the professor, Bubbles and a very flushed-looking Shad*

Blossom: Good, Shad's back.

Buttercup: What's with you? You're more red then usual.

Shad: *blushing* Uh...yeah. I think.

Professor Utonium: Buttercup, may I have a word with you?

Buttercup: What'd I do?!

Professor Utonium: Nothing. Just come out for a sec.

*Buttercup follows the professor out the room and down the stairs. There, the professor takes out a photo from his pocket. The photo was Bubbles hugging Shad*

Actually, if you look back at Chapter 27, Buttercup made a bluff saying he took a picture/recording of Shad's sub-confession. Blossom ruined it and Buttercup wanted definate proof. Problem is, Shad might be wary of her, so she asked the professor if he can do it and make it look like he's testing the camera...in exchange for doing most of the chores for the rest of the month. She'll give the photo to Shad eventually. Not like she can blackmail him with it.

Glad you get it. Next stop: Tokyo Townsville! And don't kill me if I mess up on the place, I barely remember the episode when the girls went there.

Chapter 31:

*scene shows backdrop of Townsville. Cue panning to the left several miles to a more Japan-ish version of the place: Tokyo Townsville. The screen zooms in between the various skyscrapers towards the urban shopping district. In other words: Akihabara!*

*walking amidst the crowds on the sidewalk are the professor, Shad, and of course, the Powerpuff Girls. Naturally they're dressed for the occasion. Blossom is wearing a pink ruffled skirt and a red t-shirt with a heart on it complete with the wide black stripe across the middle. Bubbles is wearing a blue plaited skirt and a white t-shirt with the same wide black stripe across the middle. Buttercup is wearing blue shorts instead of a skirt and an emerald green t-shirt with...you guessed it: A black stripe. The professor is wearing a regular white coat and the same old black pants. And finally, Shad wears tan-colored shorts with the Bubbles plushy in one of the pockets (its head is sticking out ) and a bright gray t-shirt, no stripe*

Shad: What's this place called again?

Blossom: Akihabara 2.

Shad: I thought it was just Akibahara.

Buttercup: No, it's Akihabara 2. We have to add the "2" because it'll get confused with the real Akihabara in Japan.

Shad: I thought this place was Japan. Look at everything.

Bubbles: It's Tokyo Townsville Shady. It's like how New York and California have Chinatowns.

Professor Utonium: Have you ever been here before Shad?

Shad: Yes. But it was a really lo...yeah! *points at a nearby plush doll store* That's where I got my Bubbles plushy last year! *runs to the window displaying various plush dolls*

Blossom: Looks like someone's enjoying himse...

Bubbles: Oooh! *looks at a small booth with various photos printed on it as decoration and a curtain concealing the entrance. A print picture booth! You go inside and take a picture and it comes out through here. *points to a slot next to the curtains*

Buttercup: Hey Shad, why don't you and Bubbles try it out?

Blossom: I don't think Shad heard you.

*Buttercup turns around and sees Shad, his face nearly pressed onto the window enamored by the many plush dolls, only to be pulled away by Buttercup*

Shad: Hey! I wasn't done looking yet!

Buttercup: Today's your lucky day! You said you liked Bubbles just yesterday right?

Shad: *being pulled to the picture booth* Sort of.

Buttercup: That means yes, doesn't it?

Blossom: The least you can do is take a photo for the occasion.

Professor Utonium: Girls, I have a camera right...

Buttercup: You can use that later professor.

Blossom: We think the booth might be a little better.

Shad: What boo...*looks where Blossom and Buttercup are taking him* AHH! Not that!

Buttercup: Hey Bubbles! We have a surprise for you!

Bubbles: Surprise?

Buttercup: Just go inside that picture booth.

Blossom: It'll only last a flash Shad.

Shad: It's not that, it's just that when it comes to pictures...

Bubbles: Shady wants to take a picture of us?

Blossom: Maybe. *gets Bubbles inside the booth*

Buttercup: Good luck Shad. *pushes Shad inside as well*

*Bubbles and Shad are now alone inside the small picture booth. Behind them is a tiny bench to sit on and in front of them is a screen with 2 slots and a few buttons under it. One takes coins and the other takes dollars*

Bubbles: It says it costs $0.50 for a black and white photo and...

Shad: $1.00 for a color picture.

Bubbles: You've been here before?

Shad: Yes. *blushes* On my birthday.

Bubbles: What's wrong?

Shad: Can you promise not to laugh?

Bubbles: At what?

*Shad presses a button as the screen lights up. It shows an archive of photos that have been taken over the past year. Shad scrolls to the rightmost picture, the oldest one and zooms in on it. The screen then shows a full size picture of...*

Bubbles: *gasp* Is that...

*the picture shows Shad, age 5 and without his glasses, sitting on Claire's lap. Dimitri is smooshed to the left side, looking a bit flustered. And so does Shad, who looks so nervous he looks like he's going to either cry or bolt out of the booth*

Shad: I'm camera shy. This picture was befor I got my present.

Bubbles: Your present?

Shad: *takes out the Bubbles plushie from his pocket* This.

Bubbles: Oh. OH! Now I get it. You got so nervous of getting in here again because you found out from last year that you're camera shy. Is that it?

Shad: Uh-huh. I've wanted to be in another picture but I was afraid I'd get shaky again.

Bubbles: Wait a minute. What about that other picture? The one when you were 4 years old?

Shad: Sometimes it comes and it goes...I think. I don't get it either.

Bubbles: Do you want to take a picture now?

Shad: Y-y-y-yeah, but I might get really shaken up and run out the booth.

Buttercup: You're one to talk leader girl! *to Shad* Just pretend it's not a camera! Besides, you have both your plush doll and the real thing with you. You can't be all shaky of cameras this time! It's not like you're scared of it anyway. Remember what I said during dodgeball practice?

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia And I mark thee the SIXTH Shad/Bubbles fic. BGM will come when I get home...if I have a good one. Anyway, how do you like the Powerpuff's new outfits? It's the first time I described their new clothing so I apologize if the descriptions are a bit off.

Added after 44 minutes:

Chapter 31 completed!

EDIT: Okay, I can't decide if I should use either this or this. Perhaps you can listen to both and let me know which one you like best!

Blossom: Wow! Look at that. You have the 30 tickets I loaned you last time we came here. You said you'd pay me back but I'll help myself. *takes back the tickets* Now we're even. *runs to the prize counter*

Buttercup: What just happened?

*Bubbles and Shad get off the merry-go-round. Shad looking a little bit exhilarated*

Blossom: That's too steep even for you. How about this: I'll give you 30 tickets but the next time we come here you have to give me the 30 tickets you win. Deal?

Buttercup: YES! *shakes Blossom's hand* Done! I accept!

*end flashback*

Buttercup: ...and that's why I can't get Shad a prize.

Blossom: *takes another lick of her ice cream* What prize?

Bubbles: Buttercup made a bet saying if Shad can stay on the merry-go-round at the highest speed for 5 minutes without throwing up she'll give him a prize.

Shad: And now you can't because you don't have any tickets.

Buttercup: It's not over yet! Blossom! You! Me! SKEEBALL! ALL OR NOTHING!

*meanwhile, at a nearby robotics store*

Professor Utonium: *sigh* Over 200 books on robotics and not one of them in full english. Perhaps they're upstairs? *takes a random book* Or maybe the girls can help me translate. I wonder how they're doing?

*back at the arcade*

*Blossom and Buttercup each stand by their respective skeeball rows. Next to them are 2 wide slots each containing 10 wodden balls. At the end of the ramps are several holes each surrounded by a numbered circle representing the amount of points the player gets if yo...oh why am I saying this? You folks probably played skeeball before! Bubbles and Shad are standing behind them. First to get to 200 points wins*

Buttercup: What prize did you want Shad?

Shad: The make your own plush doll kit. It's 230 tickets.

Buttercup: Whew. I have 140 tickets left. I get this right and you'll get your prize.

Bubbles: Why are you getting a plush doll kit?

Shad: *blushes* Uh...I'll tell you later.

Blossom: Ready Buttercup?

Buttercup: *takes out a ball* Duh!

Blossom: A simple yes would do it. *takes a ball as well* On your mark. *prepares to throw it* Get set. *stretches her arm back*

Blossom and Buttercup: READY STEADY GO!

*Buttercup and Blossom throws their first skeeballs on their ramps. Blossom's skeeball jumps up and goes into the 20 circle as Buttercup's skeeball jumps into a 50 circle*

Blossom: Huh?!

Buttercup: HA! Take that leader girl!

*the 2 girls each toss another ball on their ramps. Blossom's jumps, but misses all the circles and ends up going in the 5 hole while Buttercup's skeeball jumps into the center circle, netting another 50 points! Blossom: 25. Buttercup: 100!*

Blossom: Come on Blossom. Focus!

Buttercup: Better take it up a notch. *takes 2 balls at a time* Because I am!

*Buttercup throws the 2 balls on her ramp as they jump the ramp, but collide as they fall into the 5 hole*

Blossom: HA! *throws a ball on the ramp as it jumps up and goes inside the 50 circle. Blossom: 75. Buttercup: 105*

Blossom: Almost there.

Buttercup: *throws a ball that ends up in the 20 circle* Are you?

Blossom: Humph. You only have 6 balls left due to that maneuver you pulled. How'll you get up to 200 points with that much?

Buttercup: Like this! *takes up 3 balls and throws all of them on the ramp. The first one lands in a 5 hole. As the last 2 jump the ramp, the third one hits the second one, knocking it into the 50 circle as the third one falls into the 5 hole! Buttercup now has a whopping 195 points and 3 balls left*

Blossom: What the?! Fine! 2 can play it that way!

*Blossom takes 2 balls and rolls them on the ramp one at a time. One jumps all the way to the top into a 100 circle as the next one jumps inside the 20 circle. Blossom now has 5 holes left and 195 points. Tied with Buttercup!*

Blossom: This is it. *takes one more skeeball*

Buttercup: No holding back this time. *takes another skeeball*

Blossom: You mean that wasn't your best?

Buttercup: Heh. I'm just that good.

Blossom: Here goes. *hand holding the ball starts to glow a little*

Buttercup: Tickets, you're as good as mine. *hand starts to glow as well*

Blossom and Buttercup: WINNER TAKE ALL!!

*Blossom and Buttercup throw their skeeballs as hard as they can. So hard the balls leave behind streaks of pink and green. So hard...that they steer themselves out of control! They bounce off the ramp and dart above Blossom and Buttercup. Soon, they ricochet into various arcade machines, piercing right through some of them as they knock into food trays held by other people and even break open a coin vender, spilling out quarters as the children scatter to that spot trying to snatch the quarters of dollars! They break the prize shelves, making them fall, and even find their way to the head of...*

Professor Utonium: *enters the arcade* Girls! Shad! Time to...*smacked in the head by one of the bouncing skeeballs!* GYAAAAAAOUCH! *falls down*

*almost of the arcaders quickly evacuate due to the balls going out of control...unfortunately, they trample the professor in the process*

Blossom: I know. I owe you now. *gives Buttercup 30 tickets as Buttercup takes out 80 more that came out of the machine*

Buttercup: Much better. Hey Shad, I can get...*she and Blossom turns around*

*everything behind the 2 girls is a complete mess. Tables are knocked down, loose quarters are scattered, prize shelves knocked down, arcade machines tipped over, and various other obstructions. Shad and Bubbles are nowhere to be found*

Blossom and Buttercup: *a piece of the ceiling falls down behind them* Oopsie.

*time overlaps to outside the arcade. It's nearly sunset and the entrance is blocked by police lines and "under construction" signs. The professor (with an icepack strapped on his head) stands with the girls and Shad (holding a plastic bag) just in front of it all*

Blossom: It...heheh...it could've been worse professor.

Buttercup: We could've played tag and tear all of Akihabara apart.Oh yeah. We're busted.

Professor Utonium: Look, my head hurts and we've been out all day. What matters is that the police sorted out everything. When we get home I'll acknowledge that it was all an accident.

Blossom and Buttercup: Whew.

Professor Utonium: Then I'll ground you 2.

Blossom and Buttercup: Aww.

Professor Utonium: As for you 2 *eyes Shad and Bubbles* what were you doing?

Shad: I got this. *takes a small box out of his plastic bag. The box is transparent on the front, displaying several strands of string of many colors, cotton, pretty much all the things you need to make a...*

Blossom: A plush doll kit?!

Buttercup: But I couldn't cash in my tickets!

Bubbles: *laughs nervously* Funny story. When it looked like you were about to win Shady had this idea. He thought that it'd be much faster to get tickets if we both played an arcade game together. The only difference is that I keep letting him win. That way he can get a lot of tickets much faster. He got 230 of them in just 4 minutes and then 100 more after that. When he got his plush doll kit we went to the Kodomo Cafe and got some drinks. We were just talking about stuff until everyone was leaving. We thought the arcade was closing so we waited outside for you.

Shad: We didn't know it was because of you 2 girls. Something like wrecking the whole arcade by accident didnt happen since...um...I think you tore up Townsville by accident last year...right?